Paternal Instincts
by PrairieLily
Summary: Jimmy Palmer receives some life changing news. Big ginormously huge treat for Jimmy fans, plenty of Ducky too after chapter 1. McAbby and PalmerJasmine. Six Chapters, 5 plus Epilogue, updated daily. 6 of 6 COMPLETE.
1. Reunions and Revelations

**Paternal Instincts**

**Rating**: T

**Disclaimer**: With the exception of Jasmine, Nicole, Christopher, Nathaniel, and Mr. and Mrs. McRae, none of these characters belong to me. No infringement intended

**Pairings**: McAbby and Palmer/Jasmine

**Summary**: Jimmy Palmer receives some life-changing news.

**Author's Note:** In spite of the fact that this is probably cheesier than the Cracker Barrel factory, the purpose is also to introduce a new AU character of my creation to possibly utilize in future stories. Please don't roll your eyes too hard – they may stick like that. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Reunions and Revelations**

"So, you think you and Ducky will have a better idea on the COD by tomorrow afternoon? Timothy McGee was asking Jimmy Palmer, as the two young men walked out to the parking garage at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C.

"Yeah, hopefully. It's a bit vague… but Dr. Mallard will figure it out. He's always loved a challenge." Jimmy smiled at his companion, then noticed movement in the distance, close to his car. McGee noticed this, and glanced curiously at Ducky's young assistant. "Jimmy… something wrong?"

Jimmy said nothing, bringing up his hand in a "hold that thought a moment longer" gesture. "I don't know," he finally said. McGee gazed down the length of the parking garage, his green eyes flitting back and forth between the stranger in the distance, and Jimmy. "Do you know that person?" he asked quietly. Jimmy stopped walking, then closed his eyes, thinking. When he opened them again, his face had gone slightly pale, in contrast to the small smile that had also appeared, crinkling his mouth in a happy memory.

"I think I do. I can't really tell from this distance… but, I think that's Nicole… she was my girlfriend in high school. We were together the entire four years… but we drifted apart after graduation, when we moved away to go to different universities." McGee's face didn't register surprise at the revelation that Jimmy had had a steady girlfriend, but he did seem impressed. Jimmy did seem like the type of guy who could commit, if the girl were right for him. Considering the fact that Jimmy was now engaged to Tim's younger sister, Jasmine, it seemed a good omen – one that McGee had already suspected, in his protective, big-brother's instinct sort've way.

"Do you want me to take off?" McGee asked him. Jimmy frowned slightly. "Well, maybe. I'll see you tomorrow then?" McGee nodded, grinning. "See you tomorrow." The two men waved goodbye to each other as they parted ways.

When Jimmy approached the woman standing by his car, he realized that she was, in fact, standing by her own car, as well. He smiled as he drew closer, recognizing her. "Nicki?" he asked, grinning.

Nicole smiled at him warmly. "Hey Jims. Long time, no see," she said, moving towards him and wrapping her arms around him.

"Wow… it's been… how long? Ten years?" He seemed almost in disbelief – he had honestly thought that he'd never see Nicki again. Nicole nodded. "Yeah, it's been 10 years. Time flies, huh?"

Jimmy nodded at her, green eyes sparkling. "So, what have you been up to? Did you become a teacher like you wanted to?"

Nicole's face changed slightly, reflecting a sort of sadness born of regret. "Well… I started to, but I couldn't finish. It took a few years to do it, but I am a teacher now. My husband… he died in Iraq a couple of years ago. So it's just been me and Christopher."

Jimmy smiled broadly. "Christopher? You have a son? I always knew you'd be a great mom, Nicki." Nicole looked away, almost shamefully. "Yeah, Christopher James. He's a great kid. He's nine now." Jimmy was about to say something to her when the math suddenly clicked, along with the boy's middle name. "Nine? He's nine years old? Nicki…?"

The woman before him looked away, until Jimmy reached down and nudged her chin to look up at him again. "Nicole, I'm not sure I understand…" he shook his head.

"Well, it's pretty simple, really… that goodbye we shared… we were careful… but I guess, accidents can still happen." Then she shook her head, correcting something that she had clearly not meant to say. "No, that's not fair… Christopher has been a blessing, losing Nathaniel like that, he was my rock, my reason to go on… Chris was a happy accident. Someone I didn't know I wanted until I had him." Nicole turned her head again, looking away.

Jimmy shoved his hands in his pockets, and sagged against his car. He drew a deep breath, holding it a moment, and then let it out slowly. "Nicki, why didn't you tell me? God… it must have been so hard… I would've been there, you know I would have. I never would have let you go through that by yourself."

Nicole nodded, and Jimmy noticed for the first time, that she appeared drawn and pale, and there was fatigue in her voice. "Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't say anything. I knew you had a clear picture of what your future should be like, you had everything all planned out. I didn't want to ruin that."

Jimmy paused a moment, absorbing what he'd just been told. Finally, when he'd found his voice, he said, "So, where is he? Is he at home? Can I see him?" Jimmy was suddenly anxious to see this young person he'd apparently had a part in creating, and the words tumbled out of his mouth in an anxious deluge. The thought briefly occurred to him that Tony would have a field day with this, once he got the idea wrapped around his head that not only was Jimmy Palmer not a virgin, but he was a parent. Of course, then there would be the inevitable lecture about safe sex… but it was a little late for that, and anyway, they _had_ taken precautions. But nothing was foolproof, as was glaringly obvious in the young, dark haired boy who suddenly stepped out of the back seat of Nicole's car.

Jimmy caught his breath, his eyes growing wide behind the round lenses of his glasses. The nine year old boy who stood before him, gazing up at him with his own green eyes, and his own loose dark curls adorning the top of his head, was a reflection of a 9 year old Jimmy Palmer. There could be no doubt, just based on that.

"Wow," was all he managed to say, shaking his head.


	2. Confessions of Pride

**Chapter 2 – Confessions of Pride**

"Good morning, Mr. Palmer," Ducky said brightly, as he breezed into the NCIS morgue the next morning. "How are you this lovely morning?"

Ducky paused a moment when he realized that Jimmy hadn't even heard him come in, so absorbed in his work was he.

"Mr. Palmer?" he asked, frowning. He sighed and shook his head, tsk tsking as he walked over to where his assistant was sitting. "Mr. Palmer. Did you hear what I just said?" Jimmy shook his head, still distracted by the previous day's revelations. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I guess I'm a little bit pre-occupied this morning."

Ducky gazed intently at the young man before him. "I see that, Jimmy. What's on your mind, my boy?" Ducky might have a hard time admitting it to himself sometimes, but Jimmy really had become like a son to him. Gone were the days when Mr. Palmer was merely a subordinate, and a student, and an assistant. Long gone were those days, in fact.

Jimmy looked up at his mentor and boss. "Have you ever been told news that just completely floored you? I mean, just totally turned your world upside down, so that everything you thought you wanted to be suddenly… wasn't quite enough for you anymore?"

Ducky started, and then sighed deeply. He stood, watching Jimmy as his troubled eyes seemed to move from one distant object to another. "Do you have something you need to tell me?" Jimmy looked at him guiltily, and nodded. "Mr. Palmer, should I sit down first?" Jimmy swallowed hard, and then nodded again, saying, "That would probably be a good idea, Sir."

When Ducky had gone off briefly to wheel a chair over, and settled his tired bones down into it, he waited a moment for the troubled young man in front of him to gather both his thoughts, and his nerve. "Doctor, have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you'd… had children?"

Ducky smiled slightly, "Oh, I suppose. Why do you ask, Mr. Palmer? Of course, I've always assumed that you and Jasmine would start a family, after you're married, of course... Surely you're not regretting your decision to go through all of this schooling, instead of settling down and having children? No doubt some of your high-school classmates started families almost immediately."

Jimmy swallowed again. "Oh, no, Dr. Mallard… I love working here, and of course I don't regret my decisions… and Jasmine, well, she's my soul mate, and actually, we've kind've already talked about how many kids we want." Jimmy smiled bashfully, blushing slightly, then took a breath, steeling his nerve, for what he was about to say next. But… I ran into someone I used to know, last night. I used to know her quite well, actually. Doctor, she has a son, he's nine years old. His name is Christopher James." Ducky nodded thoughtfully, not quite registering what his assistant had just said to him. "I haven't seen her since… well, it's been about ten years. She was my girlfriend in high school."

Ducky looked up suddenly, his blue eyes registering shocked comprehension. "Christopher… _James_, you say? But… ten years?" Ducky shook his head in shock. "And the young lad is nine? Jimmy… my boy… oh my…"

Jimmy nodded. "I met him last night." Jimmy allowed himself a small smile, which quickly got away on him, morphing into a giddy, excited expression of pride. "Doctor, he's incredible. I mean, I know she could be lying about his paternity, but he just _looks_… Sir, he looks exactly like I did at that age. He has my eyes, my nose, my chin…" Jimmy laughed softly, as he added, "He even has the unruly curls in my hair."

"Your dimples too, no doubt?" Ducky smiled warmly and reassuringly, to try to ease any guilt that his young assistant might be feeling at this confession. "Abigail could run tests, I suppose, but there really is no doubt, Jimmy?"

Jimmy shook his head. "No, there isn't… not for me, anyway. It's just… the timing, how he looks, even how he laughs. And yeah, I think he has my dimples too." Jimmy chuckled softly. "He's me. But Nicole… that's his mother… she did offer to do a paternity test, in case I had any doubts. I guess I should take her up on the offer, just to be sure."

"I see then, Mr. Palmer. I suppose it's moot now to lecture you about precautionary measures? I assume you did take precautions, did you not?"

Jimmy cocked his head and nodded, giving his mentor and boss a raised "gimme a break" eyebrow. "Well, yeah, of _course_ we did. We may have been a little foolish back then, but we weren't completely stupid. But obviously it wasn't 100 percent foolproof. Dr. Mallard… now that I see him... I guess maybe you really aren't the one to ask, if a father should be feeling like this. Scared to death and so proud I think I'll bust, all at the same time?"

Ducky thought back briefly, to the time when he realized that he had begun to care for Jimmy in the way he might a son. "I assume that's an accurate reaction, Jimmy. But perhaps you're right, I'm not the one to ask. But you certainly don't seem upset by the prospect of being a father." Jimmy smiled again, so proudly that Ducky swore that if his scrubs top had buttons, they'd be popping off his chest by now and flying across the morgue. "You should meet him, Sir. He's amazing."

Ducky seemed to think a moment before speaking again. "Does Jasmine know? And Timothy?"

Jimmy shook his head. "I'm still not sure how to tell her… I'm just hoping she'll understand… Nicole and I were over with ten years ago. I mean, I loved her at the time, I guess I still do, in a way… but it's more of a fondness now. We had some fun times together." Ducky snorted slightly. "Clearly you did, Mr. Palmer." Jimmy rolled his eyes and smiled, shifting in his chair. "No, Dr. Mallard. That last time was also our first time. I mean, we started out as friends, then we became best friends… then…" he shrugged. "You know how it can sometimes go."

Ducky nodded. "Yes, I do, my dear fellow. Now the question is, how do you plan to tell Jasmine?"

Jimmy shrugged. "I just suck it up and come out with it, I guess. But actually, it isn't Jaz I'm worried about so much as Tim," Jimmy finally admitted. "I mean, I'm worried about Jaz too… but Tim scares the hell out of me sometimes," he chuckled nervously.

Ducky shrugged, arising from his chair and pushing it under the desk. "And well he should, Jimmy. He's a good big brother. He loves his sister very much. I'm sure he'll understand, my boy. After all, as you said, you and Nicole broke up years ago."

"I wonder how Jaz will feel about being someone's step-mother?" Jimmy said, almost to himself. Ducky smiled as he prepared himself to get back to work. "I'm sure she'll love it immensely. And if your son is as charming as you say he is, it shouldn't take too much convincing for him to win her over."

Jimmy shook his head as he reached for a pair of gloves and a plastic face mask. "My son. That sounds so weird. It's going to take some getting used to."

Truth be told, Ducky wasn't disappointed in his young assistant. In fact, he was rather pleased that Jimmy seemed to be taking the news so well, and with an apparent enthusiasm and immediate, unquestioned willingness to take responsibility, and do right by the young lad. And if Ducky thought about it, he truly had to admit to himself, that he was rather looking forward to having a surrogate "grandson" to tell stories to, and to watch grow up for the remainder of his childhood. His young assistant really had no idea what an incredible gift he'd just given to him.

But something did bother Ducky somewhat - the timing. Why, after all of these years, was this woman coming forward with this news, _now_?


	3. Moments of Truth

**Chapter 3 – Moments of Truth**

"Excuse me, where's the lab?" Nicole smiled shyly as she stood in the squad room. McGee glanced up, recognizing the young woman from the previous evening, in the parking garage.

"Downstairs… but if you're looking for Jimmy, he'll be in autopsy." Tony looked up at McGee, questioning him with his eyes. McGee returned a look that seemed to say, "I'll explain later," and Tony seemed satisfied with this. Gibbs looked up, grinning to himself at the wordless communication his agents had just put into practice.

"Thank you. I'm looking for Abby McGee, as well." Three sets of eyes grew large as a young boy came up from behind her. "Hi," he said, smiling shyly. McGee arose from his chair, taking the woman gently by the arm and steering her towards the elevator. "Right here, Ma'am," he said, smiling. He glanced down at the young boy, thinking to himself that if he didn't know any better… this kid looked awfully familiar.

……………………………………………………………………………

"This is confidential, right?" Nicole asked, as Abby took a sample from both her and Christopher, and then from Jimmy, for a paternity test. Jimmy stood quietly next to Christopher, his hand resting lightly on the young boy's shoulder.

Abby had been shocked at first, at the revelation that Jimmy – _their_ Jimmy, their seemingly shy, quiet, and awkward Jimmy – had fathered a child years ago. Jimmy himself still seemed slightly in awe of the idea, and not quite yet able to fully grasp the concept that he'd played a part in creating a whole 'nother human being.

"Of _course_. Nobody knows unless you tell them." Abby smiled warmly at them. "But I have to be honest… I think I know what these results will say. I've never seen a child so strongly favour one parent before. Well, except for this one father-son combo… I once went out with the father thinking it was the son…" Jimmy frowned at her slightly, for the sole purpose of reeling Abby in from her caffeine induced hyperactive digression. "Right. I'm getting off topic. Anyway, like I was saying, or starting to say at least… In my humble, though surprisingly unscientific opinion, anyone can see that he's definitely yours, Jimmy." Abby grinned at the young morgue assistant, as he flushed slightly, partially from pride, and partially from something that he still couldn't quite put his finger on.

"I need to get back to Autopsy. Oh, and Jasmine is stopping by later. Nicki, you and Christopher need to meet her… she's my fiancée. It's really important that she find out about him right away."

Nicole nodded, smiling down at her handsome young son. "Of course, Jims. We'll see you and Jasmine later, then."

Abby waited for Jimmy to leave, and then she turned to Nicole. "Maybe Christopher would like to go with Jimmy for a short while? Let him get to know his dad?" Christopher's face lit up slightly. "Can I, mom? I really like him. I understand what you told me yesterday about him." Nicole nodded, rumpling the loose dark curls on the top of his head. "Of course, Chris… go, catch up," she said, smiling. The two women watched after him as he ran to catch up to Jimmy.

"Okay Nicole. What's really going on here?" Abby had a suspicion, and while she didn't doubt Nicole's claim that Christopher was indeed Jimmy's son, Abby also sensed that something bigger was going on here.

"I just felt that it was time for Jims to find out about his son, that's all." Abby gave her a sceptical look. "Try again, Nicole," she said, with a raised eyebrow.

Nicole sighed, sitting down. Abby was noticing that she looked quite pale, and tired. "You're sick, aren't you?"

Nicole nodded, clearly exhausted. "Yeah." She brought her hand up to her face, rubbing her forehead absently. When she looked back up at Abby, her eyes were red-rimmed with tears. "I'm dying, Mrs. McGee. I wanted Chris to get to know his dad before I… before I'm gone. I want him to be with Jims. If it works out and I have time… I want to add a codicil to my will that gives him full custody. My parents know about it and they're fully agreeable, if I decide that Jims will be a good parent. These tests will prove to the court who he is in relation to our son."

"Oh," Abby said, shaking her head with regret. "I'm so sorry, Nicole. I know Christopher has already lost the only father he ever knew. This will be so hard for him." She reached over, resting a hand on her shoulder, her darkly made-up face reflecting regret and sympathy.

"That's why it was so important to me to introduce him to his real father now." Nicole paused, and took a long, laboured breath. "Jimmy is a good man, isn't he? I mean, he was ten years ago. That hasn't changed, has it?"

Abby smiled with an odd combination of warmth and sadness both. "Of course he is. He's engaged to my husband's sister, so I mean, he's practically family. I've known him for a few years now. Christopher will have a wonderful dad, once they both get used to the idea."

Nicole nodded. "Good, good. I'm so glad to hear that. Now… what about Jasmine? How will she feel about raising another woman's child?"

Abby thought just a moment, then said, with firm conviction, "Jasmine will be fine with it. Trust me, she's my sister-in-law. Besides, once my husband knows he'll make sure that Jasmine gives Christopher a fair chance, but I just don't think it's going to take that much convincing." Abby winked as she squeezed Nicole's shoulder reassuringly.

"Now, these tests are going to take a bit of time, so why don't you go catch up with Christopher and Jimmy? Jasmine said she'd be here soon. I assume you want to look your best, and you look like you could use some rest first. I'll have these results for you in a few days."

……………………………………………………………………………

Jimmy sat at the chair at his desk in the morgue, thinking.

The meeting with Jasmine had gone exceptionally well. She loved him enough that she understood that Christopher had resulted from something that was over with years ago. And to be honest, Christopher himself had charmed his future step-mother with the same smile that had helped his father to win her over in the first place.

McGee was a pretty easy sell, too. Tim had already suspected, based on the first time he'd seen Christopher with Nicole, in the squad room. He had taken some time to get to know his future nephew, and Christopher figured he'd make pretty good Uncle material. But Christopher's favourite people, of all the people his dad worked with, were Ducky, and Gibbs.

And as a result of everyone at NCIS either finding out, or figuring out, what the deal was with Jimmy, this woman from his past, and that suspiciously familiar young boy - the entire group stood in the lab for support, and probable congratulations, as Abby prepared to read them the results of the paternity tests.

Ziva stood next to Nicole, Jasmine on her other side. The two women had become fast friends with Jimmy's former flame, and they flanked her, protective arms draped around her to hold her up. It concerned everyone, Jimmy and Ducky especially, that the stress of the past week seemed to be taking a heavy toll on her already shaky health. So, it came to no surprise to either Ziva or Jasmine, when Abby announced, "Well… congratulations, Jimmy. It's a boy." She'd then grinned broadly, and thrown her arms around him in a congratulatory hug.

Ducky smiled warmly, then took Christopher by the hand and led him to a chair at the far side of the lab, while Tony, Tim, and Gibbs shook Jimmy's hand. "Come, Christopher, my young lad," they heard Ducky say as he led the youngest Palmer away, "I've got a story to tell to you. It's one of your father's favourites, in fact…"

Jimmy grinned and chuckled softly, shaking his head as he watched Ducky and Christopher settle into chairs, and out of earshot. Then, his wide, bright grin downgraded into a soft, subtle smile, as he turned to Nicole.

"Nicki… can we have a word outside?"


	4. Mutual Decisions

**Chapter 4 – Mutual Decisions**

"I know you're sick," Jimmy had already told Nicole, several days before the results of the tests had come in.

"How… how did you know?" Jimmy took her hand and led her to the nearest chair. "Jasmine and Ziva know because they're women, and they just seem to know these things. Anyway, Ziva is also an investigator, so she would've figured it out one way or another. Abby I think would have known anyway, but you told her. Dr. Mallard knows, because, well – he's a doctor. Gibbs and Tim and Tony know because observation is their job."

"How do you know?" Nicole had hoped to postpone this moment for as long as possible, but clearly her grace period had expired.

Jimmy cleared his throat. "I work in autopsy. I'm an assistant medical examiner, observation is also _my_ job. And I have medical training." He paused, and sighed, reaching down to take her hands in his. "And I'm not stupid, or blind. Nicki… how long do you have?"

Nicole looked around, almost reflexively, as if to make sure that Christopher wasn't within earshot. She swallowed, and then looked up and into Jimmy's eyes. "The doctor tells me a year, 18 months at the very most. Whether those last months will be… quality…" Her voice broke, and Jimmy's heart sank. Now that she had confirmed his suspicions, he suddenly he felt as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I see," he said, his voice becoming thick. "Well… I suppose this whole thing wasn't just a sudden impulsive decision, then." It sounded more like a statement than a question, but Nicole chose to answer it as a question anyway.

"No, it wasn't. Look Jims, I know it seemed random at first, but I've thought for a long time now that you should know about Chris. Then Nathaniel was killed… and Chris needs a father, and you deserve to know the truth. The fact that I'm dying was almost secondary. I had to see if you'd accept each other."

"Nicki," Jimmy said, releasing one of her hands and reaching over to gently touch her face. "He's so incredible I can hardly believe he's half mine. I mean, of course I wish I'd known about him and had the chance to be his dad from the start, but I'm just so overwhelmed by all of this, I can't even be angry that you made that decision for me back then, and didn't even give me a choice in the matter. I guess," he admitted with a small ironic grin, "things just work out the way they're supposed to. I mean, now I've got my career on track, so I'll have time to be what he needs me to be. I can be there for him now. He deserves nothing less than that."

Nicole looked up at him again, a single tear trailing down her cheek, and smiled. "Jasmine will be such a wonderful mother," she said, before taking a deep breath that seemed to take every ounce of her strength to draw.

Jimmy smiled and nodded, reaching over and gently pulling her towards him, and wrapping her in his strong, supportive embrace. "I know. You want him to be with us after… after you're gone, right?" Nicole nodded, and Jimmy sensed that her strength had just been used up, so he gently helped her to her feet, and guided her to a quiet room for some rest.

……………………………………………………………………………

Jasmine watched her fiancé leave the lab with Nicole, and couldn't decide if she should go with them or not. She knew what Jimmy wanted to talk to her about, and she wanted Nicole to know that the decision had been made mutually between her and Jimmy.

In the end, she opted to take Christopher up to the squad room, to spend time with Gibbs, who seemed to have an odd, inexplicable paternal knack, Tony, who understood what it was like to be a kid, but not necessarily how to interact with them as an adult, and Tim, who was going to become an instant Uncle very shortly, and had rather taken a shine to the notion.

Jimmy, in the meantime, had found a quiet room to lead Nicole to. When he saw Jasmine approach with Christopher in tow, he motioned them both over.

"Good," he said, smiling. "This involves all of us, so we might as well all be here." Nicole looked at him, perplexed, and then glanced at Jasmine, who had an enigmatic little Mona Lisa smile gracing her face and reaching her warm green eyes. Christopher had a bit of an idea – he was, after all, his father's son, and he had spent enough time with the NCIS crew in the past week that their skills of observation had begun to rub off on him. He grinned a charming grin at his parents, something that Jimmy, in retrospect, was sure he'd picked up from spending time with Tony. Or Gibbs… he couldn't quite decide at the moment.

Jimmy took a deep breath, and cleared his throat. Jasmine gazed at him warmly, encouraging him. Finally, he said, "Jaz and I have discussed this, Nicki… if you're agreeable to it, we'd like you and Christopher to move in with us."

Jimmy chuckled softly, almost inaudibly, as Christopher gave him an unmistakable, "I knew you were going to say that" look. He glanced back at Nicole, an expectant expression on his boyish face. She seemed to think about it, shocked at the suggestion.

"Oh, come on Mom. Can we? Please?"

Nicole looked down at her bright eyed boy. "Of course. I mean, that seems like a good idea. I think we'd like that very much. That really would seem to be for the best, anyway."

Nothing could prepare Jimmy for what Christopher was about to say next. He gasped, and blinked rapidly, then let his held breath out in a shocked rush of air, when his son said, in a rather casual 'it's about time' tone, "Can I please call you Dad, now?"


	5. Innocent Clarity

**Chapter 5 - Innocent Clarity**

"Doctor, do you think Chris will be happy?"

Ducky looked up from the body he was dissecting, and took on a reflective expression. He cleared his throat, and put the scalpel down. "Well Jimmy, I think he already _is_ happy. The two of you seem to be adjusting to things quite well, and it's really only been a few months. I have to say, I think Christopher is a delightful young man."

Jimmy grinned broadly, amusement apparent in his voice. "That's partly because he absolutely loves your stories, Dr. Mallard. And I know exactly what stories you tell him, too, because he repeats every single one of them to me verbatim when I get home."

Ducky grinned proudly. "As I said, he's a delightful lad. He's very intelligent, too," the old doctor said, with a mischievous smile and a wink.

Jimmy sighed, almost contentedly, and then said, "Really, Doctor, he looks up to you. Like he would a grandfather, I think." Ducky smiled bashfully, his blue eyes lighting up behind his glasses. "Well, Jimmy my boy… the affection is mutual. If I had a grandson, I believe I would like for him to be just like young Christopher. In fact, he rather does feel like a grandson. So you'll of course understand and forgive me, if I have a tendency at times spoil him somewhat."

Jimmy smiled briefly at this, nodding in permissive approval, then slowly, a darkness seemed to settle over his face, and his smile faded into a sad frown. "Doctor, Nicole is getting worse. I think her prognosis is more dire than she's told us."

Ducky sighed, then turned and leaned against the table, crossing his arms in front of him. "I suspected as much, Jimmy. I suppose… you suspected as well?" Jimmy looked down briefly, and then nodded grimly.

"Chris is going to be watching his mother die very shortly, I think. I don't know how to handle that. I'm still so new at this, Sir." For the first time since he'd known him, Ducky thought that Jimmy sounded absolutely exhausted. It seemed shocking, coming from the young man, who normally had energy to burn.

"Well, you won't be dealing with it all by yourself, Jimmy. You'll have me, and Jasmine, and Timothy, and Abigail… you'll have everyone." Ducky moved over to where Jimmy was standing, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't underestimate your boy's resiliency. He'll be devastated, to be sure… but the ability of a child to bounce back after such a loss never ceases to amaze me. Don't be surprised if _he_ becomes the one to help _you_ to cope with the loss."

"Sometimes I think he understands some things better than I do, Sir," Jimmy admitted, with a small sad smile. Ducky nodded, and sighed softly. "Yes. Children see things in black and white. Adults see only shades of grey."

Ducky smiled sadly at his young assistant, as Jimmy nodded. "You're right, Dr. Mallard. That's exactly it. Christopher sees things as they truly are. To be honest, it's a bit spooky sometimes. His insights can be incredibly thoughtful. I didn't know a nine year old could be so wise, until now." He allowed himself a small smile. "I guess, the younger you are, the less clogged up your brain is with knowledge and experience, and the less complicated things are seen as being." Ducky squeezed his shoulder briefly and reassuringly.

"Do you ever find yourself missing that innocent clarity, Doctor?" Jimmy asked suddenly, his brows crinkled in troubled contemplation over his green eyes.

Ducky smiled at this, and said, "Oh, my, yes. Black and white, Mr. Palmer. Black and white. Sometimes I miss it more than you could ever imagine," he nodded, and turned himself around to return to the body on his table. Jimmy sighed, sounding like a young man with big burdens on his shoulders. "So do I, Sir."

"Mr. Palmer, I really wouldn't worry so much. Cross the bridge when you come to it, my dear fellow. You don't want to waste what precious little time Nicole may have left on fretting about the future. She needs for all of you to live here, in the present, with her. Make her last days happy, and content ones."

Jimmy thought about this for a moment. "Doctor, I think, I mean, I hope I'm right, but… I think maybe she _is_ content. I think she's feels like she's accomplished what she wanted to do. She wanted Christopher to have a family. _His_ family. _Me_. Maybe that's why she doesn't seem to be fighting so hard anymore."

Ducky nodded. "Well, perhaps you're right, Jimmy. She's tired of fighting, and now she can go in peace, knowing that her son will be taken care of, and loved as he deserves to be."

Jimmy said nothing for a moment, his eyes reflecting some kind of acceptance. "We're going to be okay, aren't we, Dr. Mallard?" The words sounded more like a statement seeking affirmation, than a plea for reassurance.

Ducky reached out with both hands, resting them on the taller young man's shoulders. He gave them a fatherly squeeze, as he said, with utmost sincerity in his liquid blue eyes, "Yes, Jimmy. I believe you're all going to be just fine."


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Jimmy sat on the beach, watching his son play in the water. He glanced over at the covered car seat, where his infant daughter, Michaela Nicole, lay slumbering peacefully in the shade provided by the blanket that canopied her portable bed.

He thought back to the day of Nicole's funeral, a little more than a year and a half prior.

The service itself had been bearable, thanks to his friends from NCIS. Nobody - Dr. Mallard, Tim, Tony, Gibbs, Abby, or Ziva - had hesitated for even a moment to say yes, when he'd approached them to act as pallbearers. "Absolutely," they'd all responded without even blinking, and each and every one of them - to his surprise, Tony and Gibbs included – offering a sad smile and a hug. Dr. Mallard had been especially supportive, something that Jimmy would be grateful for until his dying day.

Afterwards, another sad goodbye, but this one, thankfully, would not be permanent.

"_Oh, James… I wish we could have met again under different circumstances." _

_Jimmy gazed sadly down at Nicole's mother, and nodded, then opened his arms in a welcoming strong embrace. "I wish it could have been different too, Mrs. McRae." The older woman buried her face briefly in her grandson's father's shoulder, and Jimmy brought his hand up to rest between her shoulder blades, nestling his cheek against the top of her head. "It's been wonderful to see you again. My, how you've blossomed, James." Jimmy smiled briefly again. "Thank you, Ma'am," he responded quietly. "It's been wonderful to see you again, too. But I hope you'll be back soon. Christopher needs you too." _

_Mrs. McRae released him from the tight embrace, and stood back, smiling up at him. She brought her hand up to rest on his cheek. "Of course. Wild horses won't keep us away, James. You and Jasmine and Chris will all be positively sick of seeing us, we'll be around so often. In fact, if we didn't live so far away, you'd probably think we've moved in." Jimmy grinned at this, and brought his hand up to touch her cheek as well. "You're always welcome to stay as long as you want to." He reached down and softly kissed her forehead._

_Nicole's father stood silently, watching the exchange. Mr. McRae had always been a man of few words, so when he did speak, it bore listening to._

"_James, I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for our Nicki. It's been such a comfort knowing she was content and taken care of," the older man added. Jimmy shrugged. "Thank you Sir, but it was mostly Jasmine. She took leave from EMS so she could stay home and care for Nicki. I honestly don't know how we could have managed without her. They got to be so close, and she absolutely adores Christopher. They get along marvellously."_

"_Once again, you've chosen well a woman with incredible strength, and tremendous heart," Mr. McRae said, smiling slightly. He reached out and rested a hand on Jimmy's shoulder, and nodded with approval and satisfaction. Jimmy nodded at this in return, and said, "Mr. and Mrs. McRae, I want to make it absolutely clear that Jasmine is not trying to, nor will she ever attempt to replace Nicole. Christopher is old enough to remember her, and I swear to you on her grave that we will _always_ ensure that he remembers who his mother is. He might have my dimples, but he's got her unforgettable smile. He'll remind us of her every time he laughs or grins, in just the way we all want to remember her."_

Jimmy was brought back to the present when Jasmine approached. "Rocky Road for you, Tiger Tiger for me, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for Chris. Where is he anyway? His ice cream is melting," Jasmine remarked, as she settled down on the blanket next to her husband.

"Over there," Jimmy said, as he took the offered cup, gesturing towards the water, where Christopher had found a group of children his own age to play with. Jasmine smiled. "I guess he isn't interested in ice cream right now," she said, handing hers over to Jimmy to hold while she peeked under the blanket to check on Michaela. "Sleeping like a baby. I wish she'd do that at night, when the rest of us are trying to," she remarked, with an ironic smile.

Jasmine reached into the bag to grab a towel as she saw Christopher barrelling over towards them, dripping wet and laughing with carefree youthful delight. Jimmy shook his head and smiled, seeing the sand flying out in every direction from underneath Christopher's feet, as the young boy dug his toes and the balls of his feet into the sand for traction. "Halt!" Jimmy said loudly, holding out his hand, palm pointed towards his son. "You know better than that," he said, motioning with his head towards the young boy's baby sister. But, in spite of the stern tone of voice, Christopher could clearly see the hint of a grin on his father's face.

Christopher skidded to a stop in the sand, several feet away, and then approached calmly, to avoid spraying sand everywhere. He got a glint in his eye, one that was clearly reminiscent of Nicole, and Jimmy raised a stern eyebrow. "Christopher James Palmer, don't even _think_ about it," he said, pointing a warning finger at him. Christopher grinned, waggled his eyebrows a single time with pure mischief, and then shook his head hard, showering his protesting parents with the water that had formerly soaked his dark hair. Freed from the excess water that had been plastering them to his head, his wild untamed curls stood out every which way as he held out his hand to accept the offered cone.

"Now I know you didn't learn that from me," Jimmy remarked, as he scrunched his face and wiped water from his eyes. "Who did you learn that from, anyway?"

Christopher stood firm, crossed his goose-bumped arms, smiled warmly and said, "Mom."

Jimmy cocked a questioning head at his laughing boy. "Which one?" he asked, turning a mischievous look at Jasmine.

Christopher wrinkled his nose and laughed, his dimples accentuating his youthful charm. "Both of them," he said, in as cheeky a tone as he dared. Jimmy was sure that his boy was about to stick his tongue out at him, but then his better judgement had wisely intervened. There was a fine line between fun and disrespect, and Christopher always seemed to know not only where that line was, but knew better than to cross it, as well.

"I see your ice cream radar is online and operational," Jasmine remarked, as she handed him first the towel, and then the frozen treat.

"Very funny, Mom," he said with Nicole's cheeky smile, as he plunked himself down between his parents and happily dug in.


End file.
